DAZN to launch in new markets

Perform Group will launch its DAZN OTT TV sports service in another “ten or so markets” next year following its recent launch in Canada, according to Florian Diederichsen, CTO, Perform.

Speaking at the IBC conference in Amsterdam, Diederichsen said that DAZN was focusing on aggregating second and third tier sports content into one platform.

DAZN is a ‘no frills’ service without studio production and what Diederichsen described as the “bellls and whistles” traditionally associated with sports broadcasting.

“We are happy for the likes of Sky to pick up the big ticket items,” he said. “We generally tend to bring more sports to the fan in a way that works for the fan, than the likes of Sky does.”

Commenting on a recent trend for sports clubs to retain their own rights rather than sell them collectively, Diederichsen said that there was a danger in sports from big football clubs breaking away from collective entities and aggregated rights to branch out on their own. Further moves in this direction could result in the whole structure that benefited viewers and clubs alike falling apart, he said.

“Clubs are trying to be their own OTT provider and that is a problem. If you can find fans that are just interested in the home games of their club, you have a problem,” he said.

Diederichsen said that there will remain a role for aggregators.